Thanks to the over 34,000 of you who’ve visited the site. It’s been a fun few months and I definitely miss being able to post regularly. I’m back in school full-time, still working full-time, still catering, and trying to get some sleep (and game!). Unfortunately, this means /LFG is a bit on hold at the moment. Hopefully the last two weeks of December will see a few dozen new posts as I have the time off from work.

Like this:

EverQuest Next Landmark now has official Alpha, Closed Beta, and Open Beta dates along with three brand new ways for your to enter the testing phase early. The video link is below as well as the transcript I wrote for the video’s contents. Also, the official explanation of each of the Pack items is here.

Hi, I’m Terry Michaels, Senior Producer of Everquest Next Landmark.

Landmark is a creative, social MMO unlike anything we’ve seen before. We want to do things a little different. We’re gonna give players access to our alpha, much earlier in the development process than we ever have before. We’re gonna be offering three different Founders Packs. The Trailblazer, Explorer, and the Settler Pack. Lemme tell you about each of them.

Settler Pack

The Settler Pack is the basic pack.

1. It’s going to give you access to the Closed Beta of Landmark.

2. It’s gonna have a few things that you can show off to your friends like a forum title, and in-game title, as well as a flag that you can place anywhere you want in the world that shows off what you’ve done and what you’ve accomplished.

3. We’re also gonna be giving you a Founder’s Pickaxe. Normally, when you start the game, you’re gonna start with just a pick and it’s going to be a very basic one. The Pickaxe is going to be the Top Tier 1 pick, combined with the highest tier of axe that’s going to be available in the game and this combination of tools is going to be exclusive to all of the Founder’s Packs.

Explorer Pack

And the next pack is the Explorer Pack.

1. With it, you’re gonna get access to Alpha and be one of the first people to get in the game and experience Landmark.

2. You’re gonna get everything that came with the Settler’s Pack as well as a few new things. You’re gonna get the Ring of Bounty, an accessory that allows you to go out in the world and while you’re harvesting you have a chance to get additional resources.

3. You’re also gonna get two exclusive outfits that you can only get through the Founder’s Packs. The first of those is the Courtier’s Regalia. This is a more traditional fantasy themed outfit that will look good in any castle or dungeon. And the next one is the Tech Sergant’s Gear. This outfit would look more at home on a space station or anything that’s more modern.

4. You’re also gonna get the Explorer Flag, and item you can place on any of your claims in the world to show off that you’ve been participating in the game since Alpha.

5. We’re also gonna give you a Mega Pocket. This is an item that will allow you to increase the size of either your personal inventory or your vault inventory, whichever one you feel is most appropriate for you.

Trailblazer Pack

And the last pack is the Trailblazer Pack.

1. This is for the serious Landmark player. This has everything that you get from the Settler’s Pack and the Explorer’s Pack, so you’ll be in Alpha from day one.

2. As well, we’re gonna give you a number of other items. You’re gonna get a flag that demonstrates that you’re a true Trailblazer.

3. You’re also gonna get the Void Vault. This is going to be a unique appearance item that allows you access to your vault network. An average player, it would take weeks for them gather the necessary materials and recipes to be able to be able to craft one of these in the game and you’ll have access from day one.

4. You’ll also get the Mastercraft Bracer, a must have for the serious crafter. This accessory will increase your chances to create high quality items.

5. You’ll get the Noble’s Regalia, a premium fantasy outfit that people will recognize anywhere you go. And you’ll get the Tech Conmmander’s Gear, our premium science fiction outfit.

6. You’ll get four shareable Closed Beta keys so that you and your friends can play and experience Landmark together. And you’ll get your name in the Everquest Next Landmark credits, just like me, only maybe a little lower.

7. In Landmark, finding the part of the world that you care about and that you want as your own is very important. So, as a special perk for Trailblazers, we’re gonna allow you early access to the Open Beta. Plant your flag first.

Despite little being heard over the past year since G*Star 2012, Steparu uncovered Pmang’s announcement that BLESS will be brought into Korean Closed Beta Testing Q1 2014. This is amazing news, if an entire *year* later than the devs originally scheduled.

Neowiz Bless Studio is currently preparing the first closed beta for their blockbuster MMORPG Bless Online. The test is scheduled to start during the first quarter of next year, roughly January to March. If all the upcoming tests go well, they are planning on launching the same year. Now that I have had my taste of Black Desert Online, I am craving for some Bless! Check out the previous trailers below, some of them are worth watching again!

RIFT’s new patch comes with a host of new gaming updates: from the winter holiday celebration start to item shop wish lists and planar attunement to IPP getting a makeover. Also, international shards now let you choose your preferred supported UI language regardless of where your charcter is located.

A haunting melody drifts across Telara. Part dream, part compulsion, it beckons the Ascended to Ember Isle. There, under the surface, the ephemeral lilt takes shape, offering a vision of things to come!

Song of Dreams pits the Ascended against harbingers of the Wanton in an all-new underwater Saga. Dive into the story under Ember Isle, but remember to come up for air – Update 2.5 piles on additional features including International Shards, a new Planar Attunement Nexus, and six weeks of Level 60 instances (Chronicles, Slivers, and a new dungeon!).

Features

Mini-Saga: Song of Dreams

Return to Ember Isle, where expeditions are mysteriously disappearing undersea. Brave madness (and drowning) to discover a new menace to Telara amid the Song of Dreams. Once you hear it, there’s no going back!

Gifts of the Fae

Starting Nov. 13, Grandfather Frost unveils a new Level-60 version of a favorite Telaran instance every week, including community-choice Return to Deepstrike, a completely new adventure into the heart of Stonefield.

Iron Pine Peak (27-35)

We’re thawing the level requirement on quests and content in Iron Pine Peak, the majestic home of the Icewatch. Level your way into the Peak’s permanent winter straight from Gloamwood or Stonefield.

Infinity Gate Dimension

Lay claim to the ancient Brevanic Gateway that started it all, and show off with new Dimension items available only from artifact sets scattered throughout Expert dungeons.

Planar Attunement Nexus, PvP Tier 3

Running out of places to spend your Planar Attunement points? Check out new Nature, Cinder, and Storm Nexuses built to combine the best of the existing planes plus PvP Tier 3!

Store Wish Lists

Gifting and receiving loot has never been easier! Send your friends the loot they’re looking for and keep a tidy list of all the items, boosts, and mounts you’d love in return.

International Shards

Now you can play in any language regardless of selected region – all game and UI text will automatically display in the language of your choice.

As usual, this is just the tip of the iceberg: Read up on all the changes and features live in 2.5 – including a new PvP matchmaking system and more quality of life improvements – with the official Patch Notes.

Guild Wars 2? Music Videos? Rock and Roll? Prizes? If any of those words raise an eyebrow or quicken your pulse, then you should enter the contest! ArenaNet is asking players to create and submit their very own music video in a chance to win a grand prize worth several hundred bucks.

Prepare to Rock the Nightmare! In the November 12 Guild Wars 2 release The Nightmares Within, you’ll storm the sinister fortress of the Toxic Alliance and face your fears!

Few things are as “metal” as a sorcerous tower full of evil, so to commemorate The Nightmares Within release, we’re hosting a heavy metal music video contest from November 5 through November 26.

Create your own Guild Wars 2 music video using our all-new “The Nightmares Within” song. The most creative video creators will winSteelSeries gaming gear, and the grand prize winner will receive a unique customGuild Wars 2 guitar from Sygnus Guitars – there isn’t another one like it on Earth or Tyria!

The Rock the Nightmare Music Video Contest runs from November 5 through November 26, so don’t delay – get rocking today!

Winners will be announced right here on GuildWars2.com on or around December 13, 2013.

Good news WildStar fans: the winter beta testing is just a month away! I am definitely hoping to be part of the beta for WildStar so I’m able to provide feedback. It was interesting to me that a good number of MMORPGs weren’t on the list of “Have you played this/beta tested this game?” I’m not sure how Ultima Online is more important to their requirements than Neverwinter or Marvel Heroes or Path of Exiles, etc., but it’s eclectic and even includes old-timer goodies such as Asheron’s Call and Meridian 59.

Exciting times are upon us here at Carbine. The team has had their heads down for the last few months powering through development of WildStar, and things are shaping up really nicely. The remaining months of 2013 are going to be really big for us, and we’ve got a ton of great things planned, so this week we thought we’d give you a little taste of what’s in store for the WildStar community.

WILDSTAR LIVESTREAMS

So many of you have been asking when you can see more gameplay, more developers, more more more. A lucky few of you may have stumbled on our little livestream test we ran this past weekend. We’ve got a bit more work to do, but in the next few weeks you should expect to start seeing regular livestreams from the Carbine team. And we won’t just be showing off stuff you’ve already seen: expect to see new content, new classes, new reveals, and lots of WildStar gameplay over the coming months on a regular basis. We’ll chat with the developers YOU want to talk to, play the content YOU want to see, and answer all most of your questions live! Want to get involved? Follow our channel on Twitch and get notified whenever we go live.

For those who miss any live episodes, expect to see previous broadcasts up on Twitch and YouTube the following week to catch up on what you missed.

CLASS TIME

Probably the second-most common question we get asked these days is “When will we hear about those last two classes?” The answer, of course, is soon. But starting next week, we’re going to be initiating one of our biggest info drops yet which will roll out over the rest of 2013.

Classes have changed, evolved, and progressed since we first revealed them, so before we get to the new classes we thought it’d be great to reintroduce the old ones in an informative way, and showcase each of the unique mechanics, strategies, and designs of WildStar’s classes. Each reveal (or re-reveal) will be accompanied by new webpages, developer interviews, and livestreams to answer any questions you have about that class. All of these reveals and information drops will lead up to one big moment in December:

WINTER BETA

I’m sure most of you skipped down to this part after reading the article’s title. Yes, we’re just about ready to start up the Winter Beta for WildStar. We’ll be inviting tons of people, new and old, to check out the changes to WildStar, give us feedback, and play through the content to make sure we’re ready for launch in Spring 2014.

We’ll be sending out a survey to all of our beta applicants in the next few weeks. Be sure to fill it out as accurately as possible if you want to increase your chances of getting invited. Haven’t applied yet? Now’s your chance if you want to be included in our Winter Beta!

WRAP-UP

We know the last few months have been a little rough for fans of WildStar. There hasn’t been enough juicy info to dig through, and we’ve been leaving the devs alone to let them get their game systems in a beta-ready place. But guess what? Time’s up, and now we go big. Get ready to be drowned inWildStar details from now through launch. What do you want to hear more about? Let us know through Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, WildStar fansites, and any other place you can think of. As you know by now, the Devs are listening!

TSW is one of those games where murder, mystery, and the occult thrive. The devs have created 10 brand new item missions and 10 brand new storylines just for this year’s Halloween event! The event runs from now until November 8. Get in game and enjoy this amazing event.

Halloween is a very special occasion in The Secret World, and this year we have a unique treat for you! You can enjoy ten new Item Missions with ten exclusive scary stories written for this occasion alone. You will find these spread throughout New England, as they are built on local urban legends and told by the Solomon Islanders themselves.

Complete all the new missions and gather up all the stories and you will get a special reward from Danny Dufresne and the complete set of stories bound into an in-game book, which you can read through at any time!

I despise the trope of the unreliable narrator, so you can imagine my self-loathing, tonight, as I bleed black upon the blank page. I was full of with self-loathing that night too. I was a writer, barely at the start of my career, and I’d run out of stories.

Desperate. Very desperate.

Never mind whether I found him, or he found me. Never mind the ritualistic particulars — whether I waited at a cross roads under a harvest moon or drew a chalk circle or invoked his name nine times before a dark mirror — whether I sacrificed a cat, swallowed a leech ballooning on virgin blood, or answered an odd ad in the Personals. Pick your cliché and suckle on it…

But that is of course not all. The Cat God is making a return for this year’s Halloween, so get ready for a harrowing chain of Missions where you get to see Stonehenge in its ancient form.

We are also introducing plenty of new and exclusive Halloween items this year, some of which can be gotten as rewards and loot and others in the Item Shop. Does dressing up as a Plague Doctor for Halloween this year sound tempting?

The Halloween events start today and will last for two weeks, until the 8th of November.

Every regular, paying MMORPGer can’t stand bots. They destroy economies, ruin questing hub hunting grounds, get in your way, out-level and out-gather you, and generally wreak havoc on a game world. It’s nice to see at least one botting company having to pay back some of the cash they’ve earned doing most anything illegal in a game.

California Court orders World of Warcraft bot company to pay $7 million in damages to Blizzard Entertainment.

Blizzard Entertainment has won a lawsuit against a World of Warcraft bot company for $7 million.

According to a report on GamesIndustry, the suit was originally filed by Blizzard Entertainment against Ceiling Fan Software in December 2011. Ceiling Fan Software was allegedly behind a number of World of Warcraft bots, including Shadow Bot and Pocket Gnome.

Parent company Activision Blizzard revealed a drop in World of Warcraft subscribers earlier this year. Despite dipping to 7.7 million active players, the publisher revealed that the game remains the most popular subscription-based MMO in the world.

This week brings the 51st producer’s letter and with it – a ton of upcoming content! So, more dungeons, easier gear progression, a fix in the hardest dungeon, a barber shop, UI changes, and things like daily quests so the economy doesn’t continue its drastic decline. Oh, and housing!

Hello again, all you FFXIVers out there! Yoshi-P here, bringing you my fifty-first Letter from the Producer.

It’s already been a month and a half since release, and after adding several new Worlds, optimizing the servers, and expanding the data centers, it’s full speed ahead for the development team as we prepare for the first big patch.

Looking over data from each World, it’s great to see so many players in every level range. Whether it’s exploring the nooks and crannies of Eorzea, chasing after FATE, braving through dungeons for Allagan tomestomes, or taking on the Binding Coil of Bahamut, everyone seems to be settling into their own play style as they find their place in the community.

As for myself, I’ve finally defeated Titan in the main story, and am now in snowswept Coerthas. I’ve been going it incognito on the public servers, and it’s been a lot of fun playing with you all. I can never resist a shout for help to venture through lower level dungeons, so it’ll probably be a while before I reach end game.

Speaking of end game, I’d like to take a moment to address our players who have completed the main scenario, and are now working to complete relic quests and fight against the hard-mode primals. We realize how difficult it’s been to acquire tomestones and have taken measures to alleviate this problem. Although we had a few setbacks necessitating an extension of the planned maintenance on October 15, as well as a subsequent emergency maintenance, we’ve added additional instance servers for Amdapor Keep as well as the Wanderer’s Palace. We’ve also increased the number of tomestones obtainable in these dungeons, and made adjustments to gil received from within. Patch 2.1 will introduce even more ways to accumulate tomes, so please bear with us.

End game players have also encountered problems with the fifth turn of the Binding Coil of Bahamut. This issue was to be addressed with the patch on October 15, but unfortunately we’ve confirmed that the problem still persists. Please rest assured we are working diligently to resolve this issue so that players can resume play in this instance as soon as possible.

Our first update will be fairly substantial, and can be divided into three key parts. First and foremost, we want players to have more options to enjoy themselves in Eorzea. We’ll be introducing daily quests and treasure hunts for those looking to play solo, and various system adjustments will make it easier to obtain Allagan tomestones of philosophy and mythology with your party mates. You can also expect to see new dungeons, the Crystal Tower, extreme primal battles, and the return of Good King Moggle Mog. There’s also housing and the Wolves’ Den to look forward to, both of which are being fine-tuned and debugged as we speak.

Second, we’ll be implementing feedback from you, the players. Not only will the user interface be updated, but we’ll also be adding an item-sort function, item level restrictions on the Duty Finder, the MVP system, and a number of other new features.

Last but certainly not least, we’ll be introducing the salon where players can customize character features such as hair and face paint, and a party search function for individual Worlds. This wouldn’t be a FINAL FANTASY if it didn’t have a story, so expect to see new developments in the main scenario, and perhaps even the return of a certain someone from Version 1.0.

More details will be revealed during the upcoming LIVE letters. I’m planning to host one every month up until the release of 2.1, and I hope you tune in to all of them!

And that’s all from me for today. See you again on October 19, at the ninth Letter from the Producer LIVE!

Looks like BlizzCon is going to have something worth revealing this year: an expansion pack to the Diablo III world. They will have 300 PCs available for conference attendees to sink their teeth into the latest and greatest for the awkwardly troubled franchise and the expansion will debut on the PS4.

Malthael, the Angel of Death, grows restless. Having sieged the historic city of Westmarch, he now sets his sights on a new metropolis: Anaheim, California—the great gamer haven of the West. Soon, his forces will begin their march on the hallowed halls of BlizzCon and only you, mighty Nephalem, can defend its denizens and help put a stop to the coming apocalypse.

Are you ready?

Join the Crusade, November 8-9

With 300 PC demo stations at their command, attendees will have the opportunity to join the fight for Westmarch, seek fame and treasure in all-new Nephalem Rifts (previously called Loot Runs), and journey through Adventure Mode, where the world itself is your battlefield. All five of the original Diablo III classes will be playable, as well as the recently-unveiled Crusader, a fierce mid-range melee warrior who wields punishing weapons (and an even more punishing arsenal of spells and abilities).

Reaper of Souls Invades PlayStation® 4

We’re also excited to announce that Diablo III: Reaper of Souls will be making its public debut on the PlayStation® 4 at BlizzCon 2013!

In our action-packed single-player and same-screen co-op demos, players will get to explore the haunted streets of Westmarch as one of our five original classes or test their mettle as the unyielding Crusader. Attendees will also be some of the first in the world to take on Death itself using a DUALSHOCK®4 controller, featuring touch pad technology designed to help keep heroes out game menus and focused on what they do best: killing monsters.

For those of you who are BlizzCon-bound, we salute you! If you can’t make the show in person, be sure to check out the Virtual Ticket, which includes over 60 hours of high-definition footage so you can catch all the action from the comfort of your home.

Head on over to BlizzCon.com for panel schedules, event maps, hotel and travel information, forums, and more, and be sure to stay tuned to diablo3.com for all the latest news for Reaper of Souls on PC and PS4!